Red and white pompoms were some of only a few items that survived the March 17, 1968, plane crash and fire that killed three adults and six cheerleaders from Rapid City.

Now, 40 years later, it is clear that something else survived - the school spirit exemplified by Rapid City High School cheerleaders Jan Glaze, Shirley Landstrom, Laurene Kay McNutt, Gail Flohr, Diana McCluskey and Terry Blanton.

"The Spirit of Six award - that's just a huge accomplishment for any cheerleading squad," Tanya Jensen, adviser for the New Underwood High School cheerleaders, said.

The New Underwood cheerleaders won the Spirit of Six award at the state Class B Girls Basketball Tournament last week at Huron.

Laressa Jensen, captain of the New Underwood cheerleading team, said she and her teammates did not expect the award and were in tears when their team name was called.

"It was definitely overwhelming," she said. "We just tried to go out there with a good attitude and do the best that we could."

She said the New Underwood fans had a big role in the win.

"Our crowd was a lot of fun," Laressa said. "I want to give props to them. They were amazing."

Each year, the Spirit of Six is presented during halftime of the championship games of the state girls and boys high school basketball tournaments in classes AA, A and B.

The South Dakota Peace Officers' Association established the Spirit of Six award in 1969 to honor cheerleading teams exuding the spirit, sportsmanship and general attitude of the six Cobbler cheerleaders.

The award was the idea of Freddie Schick, a Peace Officers' Association board member and former cheerleader at the University of Wyoming.

The first Spirit of Six award was presented at the state boys basketball tournament in 1969.

Later, a Spirit of Six award was added for girls basketball. That award is presented by the South Dakota Peace Officers Auxiliary, an organization of the wives of Peace Officers' Association members.

Cindy Gross, first vice president of the South Dakota Peace Officers' Auxiliary, said it is obvious the cheerleaders who win are thrilled.

Gross presented the Spirit of Six award March 8 in Huron to the New Underwood cheerleaders.

"I was almost frightened that they would run me over," Gross said. "They were so incredibly excited, jumping up and down, hugging me and each other."

Doug Williams, past president of the South Dakota Peace Officers' Association, said giving the Spirit of Six award is a great feeling.

"It's really thrilling to do the award," Williams said. "The girls are so excited."

Williams said the association and auxiliary are not the judges for the award. Judges are picked from individuals who are not affiliated with the participating schools. Williams said the cheerleaders do not know who the judges are or when they are being observed.

"The rules and regulations we go by are pretty much the same South Dakota Activities Association rules," he said.

Tanya Jensen said she emphasizes sportsmanship to the cheerleaders she advises.

"We respect the refs," she said. "We respect the other teams."

The winning New Underwood team are seniors Hailey Hall and Amber Pace, junior Laressa Jensen, sophomore Lynlee Jensen and freshmen Sadie Willis and Cera Swiftwater.

Adviser Tanya Jensen is related to all but Swiftwater. Laressa and Lynlee are her daughters, Hailey and Amber are her nieces, and Sadie is her cousin.

"I can't even tell you how excited we were," Jensen said. "It was wonderful."

Jensen was a cheerleader for New Underwood when she was in high school, but the basketball teams did not make it to the state tournament during that time.

Still, she understands the importance of the Spirit of Six award.

"It's a very important and wonderful thing to know that the community has supported you enough to win," Jensen said.

Contact Katie Brown at 394-8318 or katie.brown@rapidcityjournal.com